ESA Now Sets GOCE Launch For Oct. 27

The European Space Agency (ESA) and European companies have now set the launch of the GOCE satellite for Oct. 27, ESA announced.

On Sept. 7, preparations for launch of GOCE from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia were stopped by Eurockot due to an anomaly identified in one of the units of the guidance and navigation subsystem of the launcher’s Upper Stage Breeze KM.

Russian launcher authorities are completing an investigation of the Breeze KM failure and implementing corrective measures.

Awaiting the final outcome of the failure investigations and the replacement of the affected units, the GOCE team has begun preparatory activities in line with the proposed launch date.